Fluid transmission



2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed March 14, 1949 wFIEMI A Trop/vf Y NOV- 4, 1952 w. F. GRATTAN FLUID TRANSMISSIN 2 SI-lEETS--SHEET 2 Filed March 14, 1949 A WOR/Vey Patented Nov. 4, 1952 OFFICE FLUID TRANSMISSION Worthin F. Grattan, Campbell, Calif.

Application March 14, 1949, Serial No. 81,351

(Cl. u32-3.2)

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a fluid transmission for automobiles.

One object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient fluid transmission whi-ch may be manufactured at low cost.

Another object is to provide an improved fluid transmission provided with a friction clutch for connecting the driving and driven members after the driven member has attained a predetermined speed.

Another object is to provide a iiuid transmission which gives a multitude of torque variations from zero to equal revolutions of the drive member.

These and further objects land advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal section of the fluid transmission of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken along line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the friction clutch mechanism taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the overrun clutch, the section being taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the -drawings the fluid transmission of the present invention comprises a housing I within which the drive shaft 2 of the engine of the automobile is rotatably supported by means of a sleeve bearing 3. The bearing 3 is preferably mounted within a. hub portion 4 formed in the housing I and a packing 6 of any conventional construction is interposed between the drive shaft 2 and the hub portion 4.

Fixed to the drive shaft 2 by means of a set screw 8 (Fig. 3) is an impeller 9 which comprises a plurality of radially arranged straight impeller blades II provided with a circular wall I2 closing on side of the impeller structure. Rotatably supported on the free end of the drive shaft 2 by means of a sleeve bearing I4 is a rotor or driven member I6 having a radial wall I1 extending parallel and adjacent to the impeller wall I2. A friction clutch lining I8 is secured to the radial wall I1 and is normally held out of engagement with the impeller wall I2 by means of a coil spring 2I interposed between the bearing I4 and the hub 22 of the impeller 9.

The disc I1 of the driven member IB is provided witha plurality of curved impeller blades 25, having an annular end wall 26.' These inipeller blades are divided by an annular partition 2'I into blades or blade portions 28 and 29 and are xed to the radial wall II. Disposed exterior of and adjacent to the blades 28 and 29 are a plurality of curved blades 3|] which are fixed to the inner wall of the housing I. The configuration of the blades 30 being such that the ilow of driving liquid or oil from the impeller 9 to the blades 28 is directed by the blades 30 toward the blades 29 and a plurality of curved blades 3| fixed to the side wall of the housing I adjacent the impeller 9 and interior of the blades 29. The driven member I6 is so configurated that the blades 29 thereof extend over the blades 3| and encircle the same in a manner as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Secured to the housing' I by means of cap screws 32 is a cover 33' within the hub portion 33a of which the hub or shaft porti-on 23 of the driven member IB is rotatably supported by means oi a bearing 34. A packing 33 intermediate the hub portion 33a of the cover 33' and the shaft 23 of the driven member I6 is employed to form a liquid tight seal between the housing I and the shaft 23. The same sealing function is carried out by the packing 6 between the housing I and the drive shaft 2 on the other side of the housing structure.

Both packing members 6 and 36 are only diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings and it is to be understood that any -conventional type packing suitable for the purpose may be employed.

The housing I is filled with oil or any other appropriate liquid through an opening 3'1 in the housing I which is normally closed by a threaded plug 38 Disposed between the disc Il and the cover 33 is a friction clutch 4I which has been clearly shown in Fig. 4. This clutch comprises two heavy arms 42 and 43 pivotally mounted at 46 and 41, respectively, on pivot pins 48 Icarried by the cover 33. Disposed within cut-out portions 5I and 52 of the arms 42 and 43 are balls 53 and 54. The edges and open ends of the cutout portions 5I and 52 are peened inwardly to retain the balls within the cut-out portions of the arms 42 and 43 during operation oi the device as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The arms 42 and 43 are normally held in closed position as shown in Fig. 4, and in full lines in Fig. l, by means of coil springs 56 one end of which is secured to the arms and the other end of which is secured to the hub .portion 33a of the cover 33. 'The [arms 42 and 43 form heavy weights which swing outwardly under centrifugal force at a predetermined speed of rotation whereby the balls 53 and 54 are jammed between the disc I`I and cover 33 (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l) and force the Idisc II laterally toward the radial wall I2 of the impeller effecting frictional engagement between the clutch lining I8 and wall I2 thereby establishing a firm driving relation between the disc Il', wall I2 and the housing I.

The cover' 33 is provided with an annular extension 6I which embraces a sleeve 62 iixed to the housing of the reverse gear box (not shown) with which automobile transmissions of this type are equipped. The sleeve 62 (Figs. l and 5) is provided with a plurality of recesses 53 within which rollers 64 are disposed. The bottom surface of the recesses is inclined as shown in Fig. so that the casing I is free to rotate in a clockwise direction but rotation in counter-clockise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 is prevented.

The blades II of the impeller are preferably straight radially extending blades, while the blades 28 and 29 of the driven. member are slightly curved as shown in Fig. 2. The blades Si] are of such curved configuration as to reverse the iiow of oil from the blades 28 to the blades 29 and the curvature of the blades 3| is such as to return the oil from the blades 29 to the impeller blades I I.

The operation of the iiuid transmission of the present invention is as follows: The automobile engine drives the shaft 2 in counter-clockwise direction (as indicated by arrow 2a in Fig. 1 and as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4) and clockwise as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5 whereby a corresponding rotation of the impeller 3 in the same direction as indicated by arrow IIa in Fig. 3 is effected. This rotation of the impeller propels the oil and drives the same against the blade portions 28 thereby imparting rotation to the driven member I6 in the direction of arrow Ia, Fig. 3. The oil is deflected by the blades 28 against the vcurved blades 30 carried by the housing I which reverse the flow of oil and direct the same against the blades 29 of the driven member I6. The oil then flows against the curved blades 3l which direct the oil back to the impeller blades II in the direction of rotation of the same.

It will therefore be seen that the driving oil of the fluid transmission is propelled in a circular path, as indicated by arrows a in Fig. 1, from the impeller blades II against blades 2B, SI1, 29, 3'I and back tothe impeller blades II. The housing I is held against rotation in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, or in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, by the overrun clutch mechanism 63, 64 above described so that when the oil is driven in this manner the resultant forces drive the driven member i6, i. e., blades 28, 29, disc I'l and shaft 23, in the same direction as the impeller 9 namely in counter-clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 2a in Fig. 1.

When the blades 28 and 29 of the driven member I5 approach the speed of rotation of the impeller blades IIy the housing I begins to rotate in counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2 with the impeller and driven member and when the housing I attains sufficient speed the weights or arms 42 and 43 are thrown outwardly against the tension of springs 56 about their' pivots 4B and 41, respectively, under the action of the centrifugal force so that the balls 5I and 52 are forced between the cover 33 and the disc I'I forcing the latter to the right (Fig. 1) whereby the clutch surface I8 is forced into frictional engagement with the disc I2 of the impeller 9 and the impeller 9, driven member I6 and housing I are rmly clutched together by means of the clutch lining I 8 and balls 52 and 53 as clearly apparent from Fig. 1.

Consequently, the impeller' 9, driven member I 6 and housing I are now rotating as a single unit in counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by arrow 2a in Fig. 1, and the flow of the oil within the housing I ceases. The mechanism functions now as a mechanical coupling until the speed of rotation of the unit, i. e., the housing I, is reduced whereupon the springs 5'5 force the arms 42 yand 43 back to their original position (Fig. fl) against to reduce centrifugal force. The mechanical coupling ceases and a iiuid transmission is again established. The impeller 9 again propels the oil against the blades 28, 3), 29 and 3l and counter-clockwise rotation (in the direction of arrow 2a Fig. 1) of the housing I ceases while the clockwise rotation thereof is prevented by the overrun clutch 63, G4 heretofore described.

In this Imanner the fluid transmission of the present invention permits the transmission of power at increasing speeds and provides the advantage that when a predetermined speed is attained a mechanical coupling between the drive and driven members is obtained.

I desire it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular application or precise details of construction illustrated, but that various applications, modifications, and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and I deem myself entitled to all such applications, modifications, and variations as come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A. fluid transmission comprising a driving and a driven member, a housing rotatable with respect to said driving and driven member, containing a driving fluid and provided with means interposed between said driving and driven member for establishing driving relation therebetween through said iiuid, means interposed between said driving and driven member and said housing and connected to said housing to be set into actuation by rotation thereof for mechanically coupling said members and housing for rotation as a unit.

2. A fluid transmission comprising a driving member, a driven member adjacent said driving member, a housing enclosing said members and containing a driving uid, iuid directing blades on said housing adjacent said members for redirecting the flow of fluid to thereby impart rotation to said housing, and means coacting with said housing and members responsive to centrifugal force at a predetermined speed of rotation of said housing for mechanically coupling said driving member, driven member and housing for rotation at the same speed.

3. A iiuid transmission comprising a rotatable housing containing a driving fluid, a driving member having uid impeller blades rotatably mounted in said housing, a driven member having blades rotatably mounted in said housing and freely rotatable relative to said impeller blades, fluid directing blades on said housing for redirecting the now of fluid to thereby impart rotation to said housing, and means connected with the housing to be actuated by rotation thereof for mechanically coupling said housing, driving member, and driven member for rotation as a unit at a predetermined speed.

1i. A uid transmission comprising a driving member provided with fluid impelling blades, a driven inernber provided with fluid driven blades, a rotatable housing containing a driving fluid and enclosing members, said housing being provided with fiuid directing blades for maintaining a flow of uiol between the blades of said driving and driven members during rotation of the same at differential speeds, and means co-acting with the housing, driven and driving members and connected to said housing for actuation by rotation of said housing for mechanically coup ling said housing, driven driving members at a predetermined speed.

5. A fluid transmission comprising a driving member provided with uid impelling blades, a driven member provided with duid driven blades, a rotatable housing containing a driving i'iuiol and enclosing said members, said housing being provided with Yfluid directing blades for maintaining a How of fluid between the blades of said driving and driven members during rotation of the same at diiierential speeds, and means connected to said housing for actuation thereof by rotation of said housing for mechanically coupling said housing, driving and driven members when the driven member approaches the speed of the driving member.

6. A duid transmission comprising a driving l member provided with radially extending straight iiuid impelling blades, a driven mennber adjacent said driving member and provided with laterally extending curved fluid driven blades annularly arranged around said impelling blades, a rotatable housing enclosing said inembers and containing a driving uid, a plurality of curved duid directing blades on said housing exterior of and annularli,7 disposed around said nuid driven blades, a plurality of uid directing blades disposed interior to said iiuid driven blades and adjacent said impelling blades, means for preventing rotation of the housing in one direction, and means ior mechanically coupling said housing, driving and driven members for rotation as a unit when said housing rotates in the direction of said driving and driven members at a predetermined speed While said driven member approaches the speed of said driving member.

7. A fluid transmission comprising a driving member provided with duid impelling blades, a driven member adjacent said driving member and provided with fluid driven blades arranged around said iinpelling blades, a rotatable housing enclosing said members and containing a driving uid, a plurality ci fluid directing blades on said housing exterior of said- Iiuid driven blades, `a plurality of fluid directing blades disposed interior of said fluid driven blades and ad jacent said impelling blades, means for preventing rotation of the housing in one direction, and means responsive to centrifugal force at a predetermined speed of rotation for mechanically coupling said housing, driving and driven inembers for rotation as a unit when said housing rotates in the direction of said driving and driven members at a predetermined speed.

WORTHIN F. GRATTAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,934,936 Lysholin Nov. i4, 1933 1,050,705 iochling May 29, 1934 2,034,757 Herreshoi Mar. 29, 1936 2,055,309 Maurer Sept. 22, 1936 2,136,025 Jandasel: Jan. 9, 194i) 2,313,545 J'andasek Mar. 9, 1943 2,440,155 Peterson et al Apr. 20, 1948 

